A Game of Brains
by lezonne
Summary: Ron bests Hermione in a game of wits, and now unfortunately she has to learn how to fly when she loses the bet. For the Quidditch League Fanfiction Competition Semi-Finals.


**A/n:** Written for the Quidditch League Fanfiction Competition Semi-Finals. I used prompts #3 (unsightly), #6 (overwrite) and #8 (sloppy). Enjoy the story.

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><p>"Do not worry, you are not alone."<p>

She glanced up at Lavender Brown, the unsightly girl having not brushed her hair in three days after Ron's _newest _rejection of a relationship with her. Of course it didn't surprise her that Brown had been bested before in a game of wits, but she was Hermione Granger and very few people could ever best her.

It was unheard of really for someone to outsmart Hermione. That never happened.

_Never._

Hermione stared at them, head cocked to one side as she took in the two individual pieces of paper sitting in front of Harry. One held her elegant scrawl, her answers neatly ordered and spell-checked before each question ended. On the other lay Ron's chicken scratch, the red ink at the top still tallying in a higher grade than her own paper.

Preposterous. She was top of her class, bested by none, not even the intelligent Ravenclaw house (that often envied her). How her ginger-headed, secret crush managed to manage better answers than she on this rubbish test she hadn't the slightest idea, only that for the first time in her entire life she was being beaten out by Ron.

The boy in question sat on the opposite side of the coffee table, hands resting proudly behind his head as he grinned madly back at his opponent- and the small gaping audience that gathered around when Harry announced that Ron had _won_.

Preposterous didn't even begin to explain this situation.

"I told you I knew more about Quidditch Hermione," he pointed out, winking at her. "If there's one thing in this world you cannot win at, it's Quidditch."

"Yes _Ronald_ you've made that dubiously clear," she grumbled, hands lightly clenching the sofa beneath her rear. Now the entire common room was paying attention to them, and the lot of Gryffindor would have jokes about this spectacle in the morning.

"It took me a while to grade actually," Harry interjected, noticing the peeved look in Hermione's eyes. "See, Hermione, well… you tend to overwrite a bit on your answers, and they seemed to drag on for quite some time. I think that's why it took you three pieces of parchment to fill out the answers that took Ron half a page."

"I don't overwrite! Sometimes one cannot simply get the point across in a single-word answer."

"You weren't getting the point across though," Ginny Weasley spoke up, eyeing the brunette. "You were just answering questions. I had to help Harry grade the last bit so that we could have a result presented before dawn. It took a while to see if your answers were right because it required a tad bit of reading."

She gaped, looking away from prying eyes. Hermione felt completely taken aback, "As if reading has ever killed anyone! Ginny, it does one well to pick up a book and read once in a while. Besides, those were well thought answers."

Ignoring the jab at her intelligence, Ginny remained calm as she snapped up the bits of parchment in front of Harry, only to toss them over her shoulder into the fire.

"It was a silly bet," she said, squeezing the older girl's shoulders as she passed, "It's not like you and Ron came up with anything too ridiculous to bet on anyway."

Hermione groaned loudly.

"What did you bet on anyway?" Harry piped up as interest in the conversation wavered around the common room, and people returned to their own doings. "I never did ask about that because I was too busy laughing at the idea of Ron challenging Hermione at a game of intelligence."

"Thanks mate," Ron interjected, frowning. "We came up with some pretty fantastic bets actually, and I'm twice as happy that I struck the deal now seeing as Hermione lost. I don't have to read _Hogwarts: A History_ now."

Laughing hysterically, the Boy-Who-Lived glanced over at Hermione. "And you thought he would actually read it? I wouldn't even bother with that book! Too lengthy for me."

"As were my answers apparently."

"Don't be sour Hermione," he said, patting her knee lightly. "I just wonder how you planned to pull that one off."

"We were going to have study sessions every school day for half hour periods at a time. Seeing how Ron will probably fall asleep half the time out of _boredom_, I figured we could probably finish by the end of the year."

Harry was still fighting to contain his laughter as he glanced back at Ron. "Seriously?"

"She wouldn't let it go! She said it was that or nothing!"

"And what did you bet her then? Help with homework for the rest of term?"

"That's just a waste of a bet mate. If she's going to force me to study I may as well slump through my own homework. Besides, I came up with something much better than that."

"Do tell Ron."

By now Hermione was blushing on the sofa, trying furiously to ignore both boys around her. While Harry was turned away and missing her embarrassment Ron was almost laughing at the absurd shade of red she'd become.

"It's brilliant actually. I couldn't think of a better thing for Hermione to endure."

"And that is?"

Ron snickered slightly, ignoring her unpleasant look. "Hermione is going to learn to fly."

His jaw practically on the floor, Harry whirled around to stare at Hermione again who was specifically glaring at Ron. "_Seriously_?"

"Do we have to talk about it?"

Harry simply shook his head in amazement, looking between the duo again. "Oh, this I have to see."

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><p>"Are you going to have a bit of fun embarrassing me then?" she huffed, standing in the middle of the Quidditch pitch. Ron stood nearby, arms folded as she glared down at two brooms. "Can't I just hex someone for you?"<p>

"Oh no- we made this deal and you're going to keep it. If you had won you would never have let me out of reading that blasted book, and we both know I'd be reading that until I turned thirty."

She huffed, glaring down disdainfully at the pair of brooms. One was the plain first broom Ron ever owned, and his name had been scratched in with sloppy writing alongside all of his brothers. He planned to use his new gift, the highest model of whatever broom was popular now.

They both looked like devices of torture to Hermione.

"It's not going to be that bad," he whispered, hugging her with one of his arms. "I won't let you die or something."

"You actually think I'm going to get off the ground. Ron, the only time I've ever gone flying is during life and death situations when there really was no other choice and I nearly had a heart attack each time. Never for fun."

"I know. And you don't have to go high Hermione. I'm not trying to mentally scar you for life. But you should face your fears. You made me eat broccoli the other night, remember?"

"But _that _wasn't going to hurt you."

"And neither is this so long as you're careful. Now, mount your broom. I know you can at least do that."

Ignoring his jab Hermione snatched up her broom, mounting it as she grumbled beneath her breath. He watched with amusement as she gripped the handle tightly, staring directly in front of her with a determined look on her face.

"Now kick off," Ron continued after a moment. "You will accomplish nothing just standing there."

She gulped, willing all of her Gryffindor courage to hold her strong. Kicking off the ground lightly she closed her eyes, feeling her feet leave the ground.

_I feel ridiculous._

"If you open your eyes you'll see how far you are," he laughed, twirling one of her curls. Hermione jerked, nearly falling off the broom before she finally snapped her eyes open.

Maybe she was three feet off the ground. Ron hovered a good few feet above that, a quirked smile on his face as he watched her discomfort.

"Come on Hermoine, do you really think I'll let you get hurt?"

"No," she grumbled, glancing up at the empty stands. "Where is Harry? Is he waiting until later to come watch me humiliate myself?"

"I told Harry to not come," Ron defended, sobering up. "We both know you don't love flying Hermione. You might think I'm out to embarrass you, but I'm not."

He moved down just slightly, grasping her white-knuckle hands, giving her a gentle squeeze of encouragement. She smiled in return, rising higher as he guided her.

"Trust me Hermione, I'll never hurt you."

And she smiled at that, letting the expression seep into her soul. Ron, despite some of his flaws and his once in a lifetime ability to best her in the braisn category, was caring and loyal above all else. If the expression in his eyes met anything, then he did care about her. _A lot._

Relaxing, she let him coax her higher, hands remaining tight to the broom. She didn't look down, and often squeezed her eyes shut often, but Ron kept her steady and safe while they climbed into the sky.

Flying wasn't so bad after all. All you have to do is trust someone and let go of fear.

_Just let go._


End file.
